Award Nominees for 2016

It's hard to believe but another year is coming to a close, and while 2016 did a number on us in many different ways, it's safe to say that it was a great year for substantial, meaningful music. I've lost count of the new artists I've discovered, albums I've absolutely loved, songs that have moved me in ways that only music is able to, and best of all, the sheer number of albums and artists I've yet to have a chance to listen to. My plate is as full as it's ever been in regard to great music, and moving into 2017, I couldn't be more thrilled about that.

It only makes sense to give out year-end awards for 2016, and today I've decided to list my current nominees.

Disclaimer: These nominations consist only of artists/albums/songs that I have had sufficient time to listen to and digest. If there seem to be any glaring oversights, it's more likely that I just haven't had time to listen the album or song in question.

2016 Album of the Year Nominees

I'm Not the Devil by Cody Jinks
Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark
The Bird & the Rifle by Lori McKenna
Tradition Lives by Mark Chesnutt
A Sailor's Guide to Earth by Sturgill Simpson
Undercurrent by Sarah Jarosz
American Band by Drive-by Truckers

2016 Song of the Year Nominees

"Call to Arms" by Sturgill Simpson

"Kill a Word" by Eric Church

"Wreck You" by Lori McKenna

"Since You've Gone to Heaven" by Brandy Clark

"Fighter" by David Nail

"Lightning Bugs and Rain" by Whiskey Myers

"House of Mercy" by Sarah Jarosz

"Give All You Can" by Cody Jinks

"Hurt People" by Rick Brantley

"How Can You Love Him (You Don't Even Like Him)" by Reckless Kelly

2016 Concept of the Year Nominees

American Band by Drive-By Truckers
Fighter by David Nail
Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark

2016 Artist of the Year Nominees
Sturgill Simpson
Cody Jinks
Sarah Jarosz
Lori McKenna

Hard Rock Review: The Last Hero by Alter Bridge

It's hard to believe that Alter Bridge have been around for over a decade now. That being said, five albums into their career and it's safe to say that they're established as arguably the best Hard Rock band in existence, and at the very least a safe haven for guitar enthusiasts like myself. What makes Alter Bridge so much better than their peers is that they have two iconic traits--Mark Tremonti's controlled but ferocious guitar playing, and Myles Kennedy's incredible voice. I don't know who Tremonti represents from older eras, but I liken Kennedy to Chris Cornell in that his voice may not be for everyone, but his technical proficiency is far beyond what you normally hear in the rock world. As usual, both traits are on full display with Alter Bridge's latest release.

The Last Hero is a continued progression for the band, showcasing everything from their alternative metal leanings to iconic rock riffage of songs like "My Champion."  While it isn't as good as either Fortress or Blackbird, this album certainly has its place in the band's discography and is far from a misstep. Quite frankly, the worst Alter Bridge album would still likely be the best mainstream hard rock album released in a given year, because Alter Bridge provides so much of what the genre needs--incredible vocals, well written lyrics applied to well written songs that are excellently structured and avoid moments that lack any kind of purpose, and technical proficiency that is currently unprecedented on the radio waves. This band has it all. 

That being said, The Last Hero isn't without some glaring weaknesses when compared to the band's past releases. Where Blackbird has its title track and Fortress has "Cry of Achilles," there is no epic standout song on this album. Album opener "Show Me a Leader" is probably the best song on this record, and it's not some kind of transcendent song that's going to be a staple in Alter Bridge's live show for years to come. Other issues that I noticed were that the songs sometimes dragged on way too long, well past the 4 minute mark. Not one section or riff or lead seems out of place, as I mentioned, but very few songs on The Last Hero held my attention from the first second to the last. Even second single "My Champion" has issues. It's way too positive sounding to me. The main riff and solo are great, but the verses and chorus sound like a commercial for Bubble Gum, and that just isn't Alter Bridge's sound. The song isn't bad so much as it's out of character for the band.

This album feels like it could have been cut down to 10 songs. At 13 tracks, it runs on for over an hour, and that entire hour isn't as rewarding as their past releases have been. I often found myself just waiting for certain sections of songs and hoping I remembered to pay attention. As expected, The Last Hero has great guitar work scattered all over it, but everything that happens in between seems a little lackluster. I can see that they made the effort, but very few artists avoid the fate of a letdown album, and Alter Bridge is no exception. Another disappointment for me was that there aren't a lot of vocals from Mark on this record. "Water's Rising" from Fortress was unique in that Mark took lead vocals for a song, and I was hoping the band would continue this trend. I'm sad to say that isn't the case. These aren't issues that horribly affect the quality of the record, but they are noticeable in comparison to the band's best releases

Standout songs include the aforementioned "Show Me a Leader," "Poison in Your Veins," and "Crows on a Wire." I would also mention that every song on the record with a run time of over 5 minutes is quite good as well, but have moments that just aren't all that interesting and don't hold listeners' attention. There's plenty to like about The Last Hero, and it's still leaps and bounds better than most modern hard rock, but it will come down to each individual listener's tolerance for song length and extended sections. I don't mind longer songs, personally, but when a band or artist wants to go on and on and on with a certain song, it's my opinion that those songs have to avoid boring sections. Alter Bridge generally makes that happen, but for some reason the long songs on this album aren't as good as past albums.

Overall, The Last Hero is a welcome addition to a great discography that hopefully is far from being finished, but it has weaknesses not seen since Alter Bridge's debut album, and for that reason I was disappointed. 6/10

Upcoming Reviews:

Drive-By Truckers' American Band
Miranda Lambert's The Weight of These Wings
Metallica's Hardwired...To Self Destruct
Ronnie Dunn's Tattooed Heart
Mo Pitney's Behind This Guitar
Dan + Shay's "How Not To"

Sunday Morning Single Reviews: Current Mainstream Singles that I Don't Hate

Country radio is currently going through a ripoff R&B phase that is ten times worse than Bro Country ever was, which is horrifying. At the same time, there are more traditional sounding songs breaking through all the time, and this morning I decided to say a few words about the fact that mainstream radio is moving in the right direction.

Tim McGraw's "How I'll Always Be"

Tim McGraw hit a low point with "Looking for That Girl," but has since released one excellent single after another with "Top of the World" being the lone exception, and even that song isn't awful. Current single "How I'll Always Be" has an iconic country sound with a tried and true lyrical narrative. It's not as good as "Shotgun Rider" or "Meanwhile Back at Mama's," but it's almost guaranteed to be a hell of a lot better than the songs you'll hear on either side of it. 7/10

Brett Eldredge's "Wanna Be That Song"

Brett Eldredge has never been a major player in the erosion of country music's stylistic parameters. He is undoubtedly a pop artist, but his songwriting is phenomenal, and if his voice doesn't do anything for you, then you're missing out. "Wanna Be That Song" is the best single he's released in quite some time, and is more than worth a listen. 7/10

Miranda Lambert's "Vice"

I'm really excited about post-Blake Shelton Miranda Lambert. She's releasing double album The Weight of These Wings in the very near future, and lead single "Vice" is very solid. It has excellent lyrics and a great storyline that we can all relate to. 8/10

Blake Shelton's "A Guy With a Girl"

I didn't intentionally put these divorcees right next to each other, but here they are. "A Guy With a Girl" breaks no new ground but is probably the catchiest song on the radio right now and has an arrangement that isn't especially offensive. Blake isn't half the artist that he could be, but when he rarely does get it right, he strikes gold. "A Guy With a Girl" is a great song. 8/10

Chris Stapleton's "Parachute"

Chris Stapleton is a phenomenal vocalist, and routinely lays waste to every other artist on the radio in that regard. His current rise to stardom is completely unprecedented, and is the primary reason that radio is turning back in the right direction. While guys like Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson do a lot of the work in the background, Chris Stapleton has the exposure needed to make real change. "Parachute" is excellently sung and is just one more great song from Stapleton's Traveller. 9/10

Other Standout Singles Currently on Radio:

Michael Ray's "Think a Little Less"

Brad Paisley's "Today"

Chris Jansen's "Holdin' Her"

Josh Turner's "Hometown Girl"

Brantley Gilbert's "The Weeken.....just kidding. Fuck Brantley Gilbert

Craig Campbell's "Outskirts of Heaven"

Amanda Shires Breaks Through With My Piece of Land

It's not fair to Amanda Shires that new fans, like myself, subconsciously associate her with her husband Jason Isbell, and forget about her very impressive career in music. That being said, a new album can change all of that, and allow us to form our opinions of her strictly on her music. My Piece of Land is without a doubt a very good album, and while Isbell is present in the songwriting credits and vocal harmonies on a handful of songs (she has also lent her violin playing and vocal harmonies to his last few albums), it's Shires' identity as a singer and songwriter that comes to the surface before everything else.

The lead single, "The Way it Dimmed," is a perfect way to kick things off, and at just over two minutes, it forges a quick connection with listeners, and displays Shires' sharp songwriting and unique vocal style. Shires explores her past in the song, with great lines jumping out of the speakers over and over again. "The Way it Dimmed" is a standout already as it is, the only song on the album that's shorter than two and a half minutes.

The instrumental arrangements vary throughout the album, with steel guitar making appearances on only a selection of songs. There's a peppy, positive sound to other songs, even when the lyrics dive into heavier material. I was reminded of Sam Outlaw's Angeleno on multiple occasions, and that's a good thing. Electric guitar and violin make appearances on a few songs, as well. While the instrumentation is fairly low key for most of the record, each song has something unique in the arrangement.

That is what I find most impressive about My Piece of Land, that each song sounds drastically different from the last, and yet the album is still able to establish a sort of cohesion, anyway. As a traditional country and bluegrass fan, I found myself gravitating toward the songs that featured Shires' excellent violin playing, like "My Love (The Storm)," which I think is the best song on the album. Lyrically, it's a lesson in metaphor. "I am the storm/at summer's end/watch the willows mourn/watch the branches bend" might be one of the best lines I've heard all year.

As far as singing is concerned, I find Shires' voice to be very pleasant and unique. The only real criticism I have is that when she's singing softly, a raspy, breathy tone surfaces at times. It's not a huge issue, by any means, but some listeners will be turned off by it. "Mineral Wells" is a perfect example of this sound that could be considered an issue, and yet it's still a great song.

Overall, My Piece of Land is another great album released in 2016 and fans should be excited for the future of Amanda Shires' music. 8/10

*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren

Standout tracks:
"The Way it Dimmed"
"Slippin'"
"Harmless"
"Pale Fire"
"My Love (The Storm)"
"When You're Gone"

Single Review: "Seein' Red" is a New Low for Dustin Lynch

Few things irritate me like an artist who breaks onto the scene with a traditional sounding first single only to sell out as hard as possible shortly thereafter. Dustin Lynch is a classic case of this situation, and his most recent single "Seein' Red" is without a doubt the worst release of his career.

Gone is the Dustin Lynch who released "Cowboys and Angels" as his debut single in 2012. He could just as well cut it from his concert set list if he isn't going to show respect to what that song represents with his future releases. It's one thing to have an openness to modern trends, but to allow oneself to be sucked into them so completely is a complete indictment of his character as an artist. I want to like and support Dustin Lynch because I've heard his better material. From the aforementioned debut single to fantastic album tracks like "Hurricane" and "Your Daddy's Boots," Lynch has displayed an understanding of traditional country, as well as the ability to compose interesting, tangible stories in his songwriting.

Let it be no surprise that Lynch's name hasn't been in the songwriting credits to any of his singles in recent memory, and not since the first two singles from his debut album (and one of those songs was the terrible "She Cranks My Tractor," mind you, so his writing isn't infallible). "Seein' Red" is just the latest installment in this pattern of atrocities and hopefully it doesn't gain much traction on radio.

The song begins with an an awkward mix of multiple genres clashing in the arrangement, none of which happen to be country. A muffled, distorted guitar line takes center stage and fails to do anything other than be present. This continues throughout the verse of completely thoughtless lyrics linked here:

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Dustin+Lynch-+Seein'+Red+Lyrics

Do I really need to say more about the lyrics? Talk about clumsy. Once the chorus kicks in we hear a faint flicker of steel guitar, which apparently qualifies this as a country song in today's modern mainstream. It's just one more blatant attempt by the suits in Nashville to squeeze as much money as possible out of this obnoxious R&B phase that they're going through thanks to annoying hacks like Thomas Rhett.

"Seein' Red" is truly awful, and represents a new low point in Dustin Lynch's trajectory. I, for one, hope he can see the light and make amends in the future, but when an artist is willing to cut something as bad as this song, that doesn't give me any confidence. 0/10

Single Review: Jon Pardi's Atrocious "Dirt on My Boots"

Some songs are bad by nature, poorly-written and full of knock-off cliches and keywords meant to trigger excitement in the minds of brainwashed music fans. In other cases, a song can be bad simply because the artist in question has done so much better before. That is the case with Jon Pardi's laughable new single. "Dirt on My Boots" isn't some songwriting feat, either, written by Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, and Ashley Gorley. Coincidentally, the song is the lone cut on Pardi's California Sunrise where these three names appear in the songwriting credits. If the mere fact that Jon Pardi recorded this song wasn't a hint of label pressure, the songwriting credits should undeniably give it away.

Premise: the narrator has dirt on his boots, and will take them off outside before he enters the house to get laid. Creative! 

As you can see, the lyrics aren't even worth discussing. They lack imagination and effort, sabotaging the integrity of the song long before the first verse is finished. As far as the arrangement is concerned, Pardi and his band try to salvage this mess with fiddle, but to no avail. Where one thing makes this song tolerable, something else steps in to wash that progress away. I think I even hear some pitch correction at the beginning of the chorus, but I could be wrong. One thing I'm not wrong about, though, is how truly horrible this song proves to be. I skip it every time I listen to California Sunrise, and despite the fact that I am damn near positive that Jon Pardi did not want to record this song or release it as a single, it's still disappointing. What about the success of the staunchly traditional (by today's standards) "Head Over Boots" gave any indication that Jon Pardi's fanbase wanted to hear something like "Dirt on My Boots" as the follow up single?

Here's to hoping the eventual failure of this single doesn't cripple the career of a promising young artist. Sorry Nashville, but the majority of Jon Pardi's fans lean in a more traditional direction, and they aren't going to tolerate this nonsense, and this single isn't likely to be a success. 3/10

Everything About Garth Brooks' "Baby, Let's Lay Down and Dance" is Terrible

As a 90s country kid, it pains me to criticize Garth Brooks too heavily. I understand that he brought distorted guitar into the mainstream to a higher degree than artists had previously, but he also regularly recorded songs deeply rooted in country music tradition. There was always more good than bad with Garth Brooks' music.

At least that was the case until Man Against Machine was released in 2014. It wasn't a sellout record. It wasn't pandering to lyrical tropes or production trends. The songs just weren't very good and, quite frankly, the production on the album left much to be desired. Lead single "People Loving People" sounded like it was recorded in a pole barn, while second single "Mom" made no noise on radio and was so overly sentimental it stumbled into melodramatic nonsense and and stubbornly stayed there. There are several good non-singles on the album, but much like "People Loving People," the quality of the recording failed the songs long before they had a chance to make their full impact.

Now we have the atrocious "Baby, Let's Lay Down and Dance." Once again the production is disastrous--I honestly wonder where and how they recorded this, because every instrument gets lost in the mix and Garth's voice has no power at all. When listening to this song, I feel like the source of the music and I are sitting at opposite ends of a long tunnel. 

Unfortunately, that's just the beginning of the long list of problems with this song. It's boring lyrically, goes absolutely nowhere, and has no lasting impact. I had to listen to this song 3 times because it was so boring my mind kept wandering. If a song can't grip you upon first listen, that's usually the first sign that there's nothing special about it. 

Swing and a miss, Garth. 3/10

Quick Hit Reviews: Cadillac 3, FGL

I've decided to add another format to my review process. When albums aren't particularly good and don't hold my attention, I'm going to post what I'll call Quick Hits, and most of these Quick Hit posts will feature more than one album, and at times will include single reviews, as well. This is an easy way for me to make sure I don't bullshit readers in any way--when albums don't grab my attention all that much, it's hard to truly evaluate them. Rather than forego those reviews altogether, I've decided to convey my impression with a quick paragraph or two.

Bury Me in My Boots by The Cadillac Three

The Cadillac Three are just a cheap mainstream knockoff of modern Southern Rock bands like Whiskey Myers. This album has a handful of good songs but it's mostly formulaic, chest-thumping nonsense. For some listeners, the Cadillac Three might find the balance between trendy and interesting, but for listeners who are more well-studied, they'll come off as shallow and transparent. They aren't incapable of recording good songs, like standout "Runnin' Red Lights," but they don't do enough of it to justify any kind of recommendation from me. Bury Me in My Boots is instantly forgettable.

Dig Your Roots by Florida Georgia Line

I'd like to give Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelly credit for trying to have some more substantial material on Dig Your Roots, but it just isn't executed very well. There is one great song in "While He's Still Around." Surprisingly, Kelly takes lead vocals on this tune, and has more of a vocal presence on the album, in general. This decision is a breath of fresh air, because I maintain that Tyler Hubbard's singing sounds like the slow death of a large mammal. Their most recent single featuring Tim McGraw isn't bad at all, but it's nothing special, either. Don't get me started on lead single "H.O.L.Y." I've never been so bored by a song in my life. Overall, Dig Your Roots isn't terrible, but it's not much of an improvement, either.

Reckless Kelly's Sunset Motel

Reckless Kelly is one of many independent artists to flirt with the line between Texas country and roots rock. One song can be full of distorted guitar, the next a country sounding lament about lost love backed by acoustic guitar and fiddle. In spite of the sonic differences from song to song, Reckless Kelly always find ways to create cohesive, excellent albums, and new release Sunset Motel is no exception.

Lead single "How Can You Love Him (You Don't Even Like Him)" kicks things off on the country side, and Willy Braun's penchant for witty, backhanded lyrics takes center stage on this funny but oh-so-relatable song. Most of us have been there before, either with a friend who won't remove the rose-colored glasses or with a romantic interest that simply isn't going to pan out (and we all seem to need to learn the hard way). Call it what you will, but "How Can You Love Him (You Don't Even Like Him)" is certainly representative of human experience, and that is something that has always made Reckless Kelly stand out among similar artists. 

On the rock side of things, Sunset Motel features two very important protest songs in "Radio" and "Volcano." The former is Reckless Kelly laying waste to the way Nashville neuters artistic integrity in order to produce their precious pop stars. "You gotta get on the radio/It doesn't take a lot of talent, but nobody knows" Braun sings during the second chorus. Protest songs over the state of modern mainstream country aren't exactly unprecedented, but I thought Reckless Kelly's perspective on the matter was quite interesting. On the other side of things, "Volcano" is an environmental protest song. "Well, we can't save the whales/we've got some bigger fish to fry/Can't waste no money growing trees/With this election to buy," says it all. It's Reckless Kelly's way of telling us to start focusing on the right things.

Once listeners digest the surprises on Sunset Motel, they'll be happy to find songs that fit right into the band's wheelhouse. "Sad Songs About You" could have come from any Reckless Kelly album and is just as cuttingly emotional as standards like "Wicked Twisted Road." Willy Braun has always displayed an ability to convey complex emotions with simple, witty lyrics that, for lack of a better description, tell it like it is. "I don't know why I write all these sad songs about you/'Cause I'll have to sing 'em somehow, for the rest of my life/I don't know why I write all these sad songs about you/I guess they just hurt a lot less than another goodbye," Braun sings during the chorus, describing an all-too-real feeling for anybody who's had to stop themselves from revisiting a relationship that just doesn't work.

Other highlights include "One More One Last Time" and "Forever Today." Like many artists, Reckless Kelly are at their best when they tone it down and let the lyrics take center stage. Overall, Sunset Motel is another great addition to Reckless Kelly's discography, and has plenty of important things to say. 9/10

Standout Tracks:
"How Can You Love Him (You Don't Even Like Him)"
"Sunset Motel"
"One More One Last Time"
"Forever Today"
"Volcano"
"Sad Songs About You"

Aaron Lewis and the Sinner in All of Us

Aaron Lewis represents much of what mainstream country music has been lacking over the past five years. He's an iconic vocalist, an introspective and self-aware songwriter, and the kind of individual who wouldn't be out of place in a rural setting. You take away his obvious talents, and he's a guy you might see in your favorite bar, ready to shoot the shit and a game or two of pool. When Aaron Lewis is on stage, he doesn't look like he spent 15 minutes letting somebody apply makeup to his face and picking out his wardrobe. He's just a guy with a guitar and the combination of eloquence and life experience needed to tell great stories. That much is evident on his newest album, Sinner.

That's not to say the album is flawless. There are some moments of greatness, but also moments of hollow chest beating that eat away at the overall impact of the record, as a whole. Songs like the title track and "Lost and Lonely" are refreshing and wonderfully self-aware, while songs like the very dumb "Northern Redneck" represent ideas that never should have seen pen and paper. At the very least, Sinner gets off to a strong start with the title track, lead single "That Ain't Country," and Lewis' cover of "Whiskey and You," a standard for Chris Stapleton first recorded by Tim McGraw. 

That's not to say that there aren't weak points in some of the good songs. "That Ain't Country" is a nice protest song, but includes a third verse that only serves to arbitrarily name drop country legends. It did absolutely nothing for the song and added another minute to its run time, dragging "That Ain't Country" past the four minute mark and dulling its message. It still makes its point, but I can't help but think a little subtlety would have served "That Ain't Country" well. 

There's no denying the traditional country sound of the record. Steel guitar is everywhere, and the dobro makes wonderful appearances in the background here and there. The songs in general move at a rather slow pace, which I tend to like. Upbeat songs serve a purpose in country music, but if an artist doesn't excel at writing or singing such material, the best decision is to only record them when a great idea comes to fruition, which is what Lewis seems to have done on Sinner. 

Lyrically, the album title declares the concept, and the songs tell stories of hard living, bad choices, and the cyclical nature of life as a human being. The title track is a declaration of unavoidable human fault as Lewis sings, "'Cause I'm a sinner to my core/I ask forgiveness, and nothing more." It's less of a point of pride than a point of admission, and a statement of understanding in that the narrator knows he's not perfect, but he would like to do better, moving forward. 

The missteps on Sinner are pretty blatant. The aforementioned "Northern Redneck" discusses the stereotype that you can only be truly country if you're from the south. Aaron Lewis is from Massachusetts, so where the idea generated from is obvious, but it just wasn't executed very well in any way. The other song that irritates me is "Sunday Every Saturday Night." It's an outdated, overused story of the bar being like a church. It's also so damn slow and drawn out that I found my mind drifting away before 2 minutes had even passed. It's a very forgettable song. 

The strongest tracks on the album are excellent, including the title track, and my personal favorite, "Lost and Lonely." The best surprise of the album, however, was the the wonderful closing song--an excellent cover of "Travelin' Soldier," first made famous by the Dixie Chicks nearly 15 years ago. Lewis' daughter Zoe takes lead vocals on this song, and Aaron harmonizes with her during the chorus. The inclusion of this song doesn't necessarily fit into the concept in a lyrical sense, but I think the choice to have his daughter take lead vocals is meant to symbolize redemption and the blessings life can give us despite our faults and mistakes. It was a very fitting way to close the album, and an excellent way to turn the dire mood around to show the opposite side of the spectrum.

Overall, Sinner is a very solid album from a singer/songwriter with an iconic voice and the kinds of hard-living experiences needed to carry emotional material to its potential. Well done, Mr. Lewis. 7/10

Standout tracks:

"Sinner"

"Mama"

"Lost and Lonely"

"Travelin' Soldier"

CDC Warns Public About Exposure to Thomas Rhett's "Vacation"

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a strict warning to music listeners throughout the United States about the side effects of overexposure to Thomas Rhett's new single "Vacation." Along with the sudden death of numerous brain cells, sufferers develop an immediate case of TDD, or Taste Deficit Disorder.

CDC Representative Myles Jensen was even more thorough in his warnings. "Thomas Rhett's "Vacation" can affect more than a person's taste in music, it can completely strip away their ability to identify quality art in any medium," Jensen said. "Before they know it, they're praising Grey's Anatomy and proclaiming Pitbull the greatest rapper in the history of the genre."

"These are dangerous things to be stating out loud. Who's going to hire somebody that can't even identify drivel, especially if they're applying for a job that deals directly with other people?" Jensen also warned of the tendency to consume alcohol at alarming rates when exposed to Rhett's abomination. "When the art in question lacks substance to such a great degree, listeners have no incentive to control their alcohol intake in order to enjoy the moment. We're seeing alarming amounts of DUI arrests in places where exposure to the song is prevalent."

The best way to prevent the sudden onset of TDD, or the loss of brain cells en masse, is to avoid mainstream country radio altogether, according to Jensen. "That's the only way to ensure that you don't become a victim of this atrocity. I would even suggest listening to as much Merle Haggard as possible in the coming months, just to make sure that you continue to understand what good songs actually sound like."


We've got a long hard battle in front of us, folks. Don't become a victim--avoid this truly awful song.

0/10

Easton Corbin Returns to Form on "Are You With Me"

Few singles have been as disappointing in recent years as Easton Corbin's "Baby Be My Love Song." It was awkward, clumsy, and devoid of anything that resembled a melody. It also signified the presence of label pressure in Corbin's career. There were earlier signs, such as failed single "Clockwork," but fans were not prepared for a song so contrary to everything else that he has released in his career.

Unfortunately, "Baby By My Love Song" was a sign of worse things to come. Corbin's most recent album--About to Get Real--is more bad than good, and second single "Yup" was truly awful. Thankfully, it went nowhere on radio. Not that us classic country fans wish misfortune on Easton Corbin, but we know he can make it on country radio playing music that leans in a more traditional direction. Vocal comparisons to George Strait notwithstanding, he has other things working in his favor. His first two albums were traditional country gold as far as modern country is concerned, and did just fine with singles and album sales. Thankfully, his most recent single from About to Get Real leans in a more serious direction. 

"Are You With Me" builds slowly through half of the first verse with light production backing tender vocals, before percussion kicks in and the verse transitions into a beautiful chorus. Corbin sings "We can chase the wild dreams/live like crazy, love me baby/Come on, come on, come on/Just throw your arms around me/We can run like we won't run out of time/Are you with me," asking his partner to just jump in and see where things go from there. 

Production wise, the song isn't as country as some of Corbin's earlier releases like "A Little More Country Than That" or "Lovin' You is Fun," but it reminds me of the darkest single of his career--"I Can't Love You Back." Thematically, the two songs are similar, even if "Are You With Me" doesn't involve such drastic implications. In both songs, the outcome is never clarified, leaving the listener with an unsettled feeling that persists and forces them to revisit the song over and over again. 

It's that kind of lasting effect that separated Easton Corbin's music from that of his peers early in his career, and hopefully "Are You With Me" is the first sign that he'll have more creative control, moving forward. 7/10

Up next: Sinner by Aaron Lewis

Whiskey Myers Dig Into Life's Mud

The heyday of Southern Rock has long passed, and any chance at mainstream radio success is all but gone. Nevertheless, there are a handful of very talented bands keeping the genre alive, and Whiskey Myers is one of them. With the release of their new album Mud on September 9th, the band has cemented its place alongside Blackberry Smoke as the torchbearers of a genre that has fallen out of the public eye.

Based in Palestine, Texas, it's not hard to figure out how such obvious country influence creeps into their sound. While the rough-edged distorted guitar is prominent throughout the record, Whiskey Myers turn the volume down here and there with great success, turning out several new country staples in their already loaded catalog that includes fantastic songs like "Dogwood" and "Lonely East TX Nights." Perhaps that is what I find most frustrating about Whiskey Myers, as a fan. They're so good at country music that I don't understand how they can overlook that in order to primarily record southern rock songs. They're great at both, but they're better at country.

Mud is swampy, gritty, and as dirty as the album title makes it sound. Everything from the distorted guitar lines to Cody Cannon's highly accented vocals is rough around the edges in all the right ways. For songwriting fanatics, the lyrics from the album should be more than sufficient, with highlight songs like "Stone" and "Trailer We Call Home" digging into dark topics with ease and tangibility. The band turns up the distortion for grimy, dense-sounding songs like "Mud" and "Frogman." Both are a foot-stomping good time, and sure fan favorites in a live setting.

"Lightning Bugs and Rain" sits at track 3 and is a bit of an experiment for Whiskey Myers. Horns are heavy in the mix in the instrumental arrangement and they take the band's sound to a place I'm not positive that they've ventured to before. I haven't listened through this discography thoroughly enough to say for sure, though. The song, arguably the best upbeat track on the album, puts a little Memphis into tried and true southern rock, and it results in a rather charming sound. Unexpected twists often result in the worst songs on albums, but Whiskey Myers buck this trend with "Lightning Bugs and Rain."

"Deep Down in the South" is the only real misstep on Mud. It's the band beating their chest about where they're from and, quite frankly, it's a novelty worn so thin by less talented artist that it's become an annoyance. Whiskey Myers has recorded songs like this before, but they're usually better than this.

Cody Cannon continues to be the principle songwriter for Whiskey Myers, though he does write with some renowned singer/songwriters like Darrell Scott and Brent Cobb. Mud was produced by the now famous Dave Cobb, who continues to attract the brightest names on the independent scene. Cobb brought Whiskey Myers' country-fried southern rock to life in the studio, resulting in the best-sounding album that the band has recorded to date.

Overall, Whiskey Myers will always be a band that I go back to when they release new albums. I do wish that they'd dig into their country influence a bit more for at least an album's worth of songs, at some point. Nevertheless, if I have to take a bunch of fairly solid, often very good Southern Rock songs just to get to the country gems from each album, I'll happily oblige. Mud kicks ass. 8/10

Standout Tracks:
"Mud"
"Lighting Bugs and Rain"
"Stone"
"Trailer We Call Home"
"Hank"

Single Review: Rick Brantley's "Hurt People"

Rick Brantley was unknown to me until this spring when I stumbled across his music through Rolling Stone Country. Featured in the article in question was his new song, "Hurt People." Curiosity won me over and, like many times before, I had to take a listen. I was exposed to a composition so powerful I couldn't shake it for days. It was like hearing Jason Isbell's "Elephant" for the first time all over again. What songwriters aim for when dealing with heavy material is to a convey a message that resonates with listeners and in some way changes their lives. "Hurt People" is that kind of song.

The tune begins with a soft piano line that we've heard before, which initially disappointed me, but once Brantley's vocals come in and start telling the story, it becomes clear that the arrangement was never meant to stand out, anyway. The first verse details a bully from childhood that the narrator eventually gathers the courage to confront. He rides his bike over to the adversary's house only to find him sitting on the porch with his arm in a sling and a welt in the shape of his "daddy's high school ring" on his face.

"Then it hit me," Brantley sings before launching into the chorus that simply states, "Hurt people hurt people" twice. What stands out most about this song is how the power of language is displayed with simple lyrics that get to the point. To convey such a tangible message with less than ten words is not easy, but Brantley and co-writer Ashley Ray found a poignant theme and maximized it with incredible songwriting that resulted in a powerful narrative.

The second verse details the narrator's first breakup experience, the result of a relationship with a girl from an abusive home. "Well her mama popped pills, and daddy drank like a sailor on leave/Neither ever had two kind words to say to Marie" is a line that jumps out of the song and forces listeners to trace their memories back to people they know from similar situations. Later on, the narrator states "She taught me a lesson about pleasure and pain/If you don't know the difference, well it's all the same/maybe that's why" before the second chorus comes in and the simple but hard-hitting refrain captures listeners all over again.

"Hurt People" finds its high mark when Rick Brantley raises his voice for one of the most powerful bridges I've heard in a long time. "Your blood is my blood/Your bruise is my bruise/Your skin is my skin/When you lose, I lose/When you fall, I fall too," he wails, pleading with each of us to think about our words and actions and the consequences they create right now and in the future.

Brantley quiets down again for a third verse that's shorter than the first two but eloquently sums up the theme of the song. "Everybody's got a reason for losing faith/I guess everybody's got a scar they just can't erase/You live a little while, you're gonna have one too/You live a little longer, I bet you'll leave a few." Once more through the chorus and the song eases to a stop to give listeners time to collect their emotions and process what they've just heard.

At just over five and half minutes, "Hurt People" takes its time to convey a tangible message that we can observe in every day life. Hurt people might hurt people today, tomorrow, and ten years from now, but that's no reason for us to shrug and let it go, especially considering that we're all "hurt people" at some point or another in our lives. Hopefully that message reaches as many people as possible. 10/10

Drake White's Spark Doesn't Go Anywhere

I'm a big fan of Drake White's most recent single, the irresistibly catchy "Livin' the Dream." That song represents what upbeat music should be in modern country. It's catchy and happy but not completely void of substance, which seems to be what separates mediocrity from legitimate talent in modern music. Needless to say, when I heard that he was releasing an album called Spark in August, I was fairly excited. Here was an interesting, rootsy artist with a unique voice backed by mostly organic production. Unfortunately, I should have tempered my optimism.

Spark is not a bad album, and it certainly isn't aiding in the continued erosion of substance and real country music elements on mainstream radio, but it just doesn't do or say anything, either. Albums don't need to have obvious concepts for listeners to latch on to, but they certainly shouldn't be directionless, either. Spark sounds pleasant enough to the ear, but leaves no lasting impression of either Drake White or the kinds of songs he writes and sings. 

It took several listens for me to even write this review, and I hate to say that every listen after the first was wasted time. Make no mistake, when Drake White gets it right, it's great, but most of these songs are like elevator music. They aren't offensive or ridiculous, but as soon as you're out the door, they fade from memory almost instantly. If I were to describe Spark in one word, I'd call it fickle. There are only a handful of songs I remember by name. "Heartbeat" is a great opener, and while it's not particularly country in any way, it's one of the more infectious lyrics on the album. The aforementioned "Livin' the Dream" speaks to the simplicity of life when one scales back and appreciates every day things. "I Need Real" is a testament to how fruitless life is if one settles for something less than a healthy, fulfilling relationship, and is without a doubt the best song Spark has to offer. 

Otherwise, I felt that White was trying a little too hard to make his songs interesting. His vocal inflections on some of the happier songs are a little too much for me, especially "Story," which even includes some scat singing in the final minutes. At the same time, why do these things if they don't really serve a purpose to the songs? If an artist feels they need to spice up the material, perhaps that should be the first sign that the material isn't up to par. 

In the end, Spark is a disappointment to me. I think Drake White has a lot of potential, especially if he reels in some of the unnecessary excess and decides to let his songs speak for themselves in the future. In order to make that happen, I think he'll need to focus on the songs during the writing process and worry less about vocalizations and catch-lines. I think he has the potential release a truly great album somewhere down the road. 5/10

Up next: 

Single Review: Rick Brantley's "Hurt People"

Dolly Parton: Purely and Simply a Singing Legend

Dolly Parton's Pure & Simple is everything that can go right with a country music album. Every song was written by Dolly herself, adding a personal touch that is often missing when artists record songs written by other people. The music itself spans across decades, from Dolly's regular use of spoken word (which isn't something country listeners have regularly heard in years), to more upbeat songs with basic chord patterns that call to mind the country music of the '90s. There's music for fans of any country music era on Pure & Simple. 

Most of the album is stripped back to acoustic guitar, piano, steel guitar, and light percussion, which brings the subject matter to the forefront. Though Pure & Simple doesn't cover material as heavy as Lori McKenna's The Bird & the Rifle, that would be the album I would liken it to as far as production is concerned. Other instruments make appearances, but aren't so prevalent that it changes the stripped down feeling of the album in general. Overall, the production is excellent. Some songs are firmly entrenched in the sound of the '70s, such as "Say Forever You'll Be Mine," a classic tune the first appeared as the title track on a Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner duet album in 1975, while songs like the title track could have arose from any era.

As far as subject matter is concerned, what strikes me most of all is that every song appears to be a song about love in its many capacities. Some tracks follow trajectories we've heard before, but the combination of Dolly's writing and singing raise them up a few notches. In the hands of lesser vocalists or writers, songs like "Pure and Simple" and "Kiss it (And Make it All Better)" would have been disastrous. I'm not sure if I've ever heard an entire album dedicated to love songs, but I must say that had I known what it was before listening to it, I'd have wagered that Pure & Simple would be overly cheesy and melodramatic. I'm happy to say that simply isn't the case.

As a vocalist, there are very few artists in Dolly Parton's league of musical prowess, spanning across genres. From the uniqueness of her voice, to her excellent use of vocalizations and techniques like vibrato, there just aren't many singers with her capabilities. She has this uncanny ability to make every note interesting. She can hit surreal high notes with ease, which is most evident on the album closer "Forever Love." There simply aren't many vocalists like Dolly Parton out there anymore.

While there are plenty of upbeat songs on Pure & Simple, it's the moments in which Dolly slows things down that shine the most. The aforementioned "Forever Love" crawls along beautifully to backing strings, while "Tomorrow is Forever" takes its sweet time and establishes itself as the deepest lyrical masterpiece on the album. "Can't Be That Wrong" is another standout, and touches on cheating in an unexpected way. To be frank, if Dolly were to write an album of songs like these three, I'd buy two copies right away because I'm sure I'd wear out the first in a matter of weeks.

Overall, Pure and Simple is a very good album that does a great job of spanning Dolly's career in the production and offers many differing perspectives on love. 8/10

*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren

Up next:  Spark by Drake White

Single Review: Jason Aldean's "A Little More Summertime"

My dislike for Jason Aldean is pretty evident to anybody who pays attention to my stance on mainstream country music. No major artist has put forth more effort to erode the stylistic parameters of a long and storied genre, releasing garbage songs like the atrocious "Burnin' it Down" and the earache known as "1994." It's one thing to record songs that fans of substance don't like; it's completely different to release singles that aren't good songs in any context, and Jason Aldean found a way to do that with those two atrocities from his last two studio albums. Were there some decent to good songs released around those singles? Sure, but mediocrity doesn't make such transgressions disappear. Jason Aldean has a lot of work to do in order to rebuild his reputation for traditional country fans.

I say "rebuild" because Jason Aldean released 3 really good albums at the beginning of his career, and a fourth that was mostly good in My Kinda Party, but that's where his penchant for distorted guitar took over, and where his leanings toward hip hop came full circle with his cover of "Dirt Road Anthem." Even that song wasn't horribly done, leaning on steel guitar pretty heavily, and with Aldean choosing to have the verses act as monologues as opposed to actually rapping them like Colt Ford does on the original. It was an interesting single at the time that infuriated a lot of people. While that song may not have been terrible, it signified a drastic change in sound that would come on his next two albums. 

After two albums worth of obnoxious distorted guitar playing basic 80's arena rock riffs and horrible "experiments" that irritated more people than their chart performance would indicate, I will happily state that Aldean's second single from forthcoming album They Don't Know is something of a return to form. "A Little More Summertime" is not the most well-written song that he's ever recorded, but the scaled back production and forlorn lyrics call to mind his first three albums. There is some leftover distorted guitar during the chorus, but it's not the kind that overwhelms the vocals like some of his recent singles. Aldean still has some work to do in regard to recapturing his original sound, but "A Little More Summertime" is definitely a good start.

Lyrically, it's a story we've heard before. The narrator meets a girl during the summertime in a small community only to have her leave when the fall comes back around. I enjoyed the way that Jerry Flowers, Tony Martin, and Wendell Mobley constructed the song, with short verses that get to the point and a longer chorus that carries the mood with ease. "A Little More Summertime" fits Aldean's voice very well.

What has me most excited about this song is that I think it's the first great single that Jason Aldean has released since "Fly Over States" came out four and a half years ago. 4.5 damn years, if you can believe it. There were tolerable singles from both Night Train and Old Boots, New Dirt, but the only one that even came close to being great was "Tonight Looks Good on You."

I'm probably getting my hopes up over nothing, and am fully prepared for They Don't Know to disappoint me. And good lord, why do these artists keep picking such stupid album titles? I mean, They Don't Know isn't Kinda Don't Care bad, but it's still a really stupid title. At the very least, "A Little More Summertime" is a great single that gives me hope that the album might not be terrible. 7/10

Up Next: Dolly Parton's Pure & Simple

Single Review: Eric Church's Timely "Kill a Word"

Eric Church's "Kill a Word" is the kind of song that's needed in 2016, is the kind of song that was needed in the past. With the United States entrenched in such a divisive period, from our joke of an election coming up in November to racial tension and distrust of law enforcement, a song like "Kill a Word" could make a huge difference if it reaches the widest audience possible. Right now, American citizens are joining sides, standing at a distance and hurling insults and threats at the opposition while the opportunity for progress slowly slips away while middle ground remains vacant.

The only thing accomplished by hateful language is greater division--that much has become clear in 2016 as we approach arguably the greatest embarrassment in American history. A song like "Kill a Word" has a chance to unite people in ways no speech or campaign slogan ever could. It has the power to make people cross party lines, to make people find middle ground and have a discussion. It has the potential break down walls and create change.

"Kill a Word" is exquisitely written by Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, and Luke Dick. The verses include Church describing what he'd do to some of the most hurtful words in our language. He steers away from slurs or anything of that nature, but the collective decision between Church and his co-writers to write this song in a more general sense only expands upon the audience it can reach. While the verses are descriptive and defiant with lines like, "I'd pound fear into a pile of sand, choke lonely out with my bare hands," it's the chorus of the song that pleads with listeners to find common ground.

"Give me sticks, give me stones/Bend my body, break my bones/Use staff and rod to turn me black and blue/'Cause you can't un-hear, you can't unsay/But if it were up to me to change/I'd turn lies and hate to love and truth/If I could only/Kill a word."

"Kill a Word" was released with the album Mr. Misunderstood on November 3rd of 2015, and immediately established itself as one of the top 2-3 songs on the record for most listeners. It garnered high praise from critics as an album track, and those who have reviewed it as a single are excited about its potential and timeliness. What I find most impressive about this song is that, while it's not exactly an anti-bullying song, it avoids the issues of similar songs in the past. Not a single line is lazily written. Not one moment of the song feels preachy. At no point does Church place himself on a pedestal and act as if he's above anybody else. "Kill a Word" is Eric Church standing among the masses, saying, "I believe we're better than this."

In 2016, "Kill a Word" is much more than a single for Eric Church, it's a much-needed plea for love and peace and compromise, and hopefully it reaches as many people as possible and inspires real change. 10/10

Maren Morris' Underwhelming Hero

I've been reading all the exaggerated headlines about Maren Morris for months now, and it confuses the ever-living hell out of me. I certainly don't hate her two singles. "My Church" isn't great but it's catchy and easy to relate to. "80's Mercedes" is not even close to a country song, but it gets stuck in your head with ease. When it comes to modern country radio, Maren Morris is not a huge problem. The issue is that her music is marketed as country, which is completely misleading and dishonest. She's not the first purely pop artist to have her music marketed this way, but what she represents is the continuation of a real problem in mainstream country music.

Once again, I feel it is important to state that musical evolution does not involve a genre turning into another genre, or into a bad mish-mash of the most basic elements of several genres. Country has not evolved into pop, and it has not evolved into hick hop or the arena rock garbage we hear from Jason Aldean. That's not how evolution works. Maren Morris' music is not the product of evolution--it's the product of a pop artist who is conveniently using country radio as a means to launch her career. Did she herself make that decision? I doubt it. It's pretty easy to blame the suits in Nashville.

That's not to say that Hero is bad, overall. There are some solid songs on this record, but to call it country would be an obvious lie. Every song has a blatantly pop arrangement. There are so many jarring, synthetic sounds on this album that it makes me dizzy. At the very least, I'll give Morris credit for not trying to country it up with layered fiddle or banjo lines. Make no mistake, Hero knows it's a pop album. It's just not as good as people seem to think it is.

As far as criticisms are concerned, they revolve around very fixable issues.The odd vocalizations in many songs get annoying really fast, from the almost rap like delivery that she uses at times to the way she mispronounces words. "80's Mercedes" may not be a bad song, but when Morris songs "I'm a 90's baby in my 80's Mercedes," she pronounces "baby" as "bay-beh," which I found annoying and ridiculous. There's no reason to not pronounce the word properly. It adds nothing to the song, does not help the rhyme, does not aid in the transition from one line to the next. It's just an odd choice that is jarring and unnecessary. Another thing that irritated me was the arbitrary swearing. There's room in music for profanity, but it ought to serve a purpose. The only purpose served by the occasional "shit" or "bullshit" on Hero is to portray this tough, sassy image. Maren Morris does that already. The swearing wasn't necessary, and in songs like "Drunk Girls Don't Cry," it came out of nowhere and didn't fit the song. It's a small issue in the grand scheme of things, but when the album itself is underwhelming, it stood out even more.

What gives me hope for Maren Morris is that all of these issues are all easily correctable, so I look forward to her future releases. It's very clear that with her vocal abilities, Morris will likely release some great music in her career. I've got my fingers crossed that it's sooner rather than later.
Maren Morris is at her best as a vocalist when she forgets about all the nonsense and just sings. Those abilities are on full display on album standouts "Once" and "I Wish I Was." These are two absolutely fantastic songs on an otherwise sub-par record.

Hero is moderately enjoyable in spurts, hard to tolerate in others, and the latter side comes through more often than the former. 4/10

Up next: Single Review: Eric Church's "Kill a Word"

Metal Review: Tremonti's Dust

For guitar nuts like myself, Mark Tremonti is a household name. His unique and spirited fretwork travels all the way back to 1997 when Creed's My Own Prison was released. Everything after that is well-documented. Creed released 3 albums before disbanding the first time, which allowed Mark, Scott Phillips, and Brian Marshall (everybody in Creed not named Scott Stapp) to form Alter Bridge with vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, and since the release of debut album One Day Remains in 2004, Alter Bridge have established themselves as arguably the best hard rock band on the airwaves today. Creed would reunite briefly to release the very good Full Circle in 2009, but have not surfaced since.

Alter Bridge have released 4 studio albums with a fifth coming this fall, and since 2012, Mark Tremonti has released three albums under the name Tremonti. Originally a solo project, Tremonti has evolved into a 4 piece band with Mark on lead guitar and vocals, Eric Friedman on guitar, Wolfgang Van Halen on bass guitar, and Garrett Whitlock on drums. They released Dust in April, and after recently purchasing the record, I must say that it's a damn good one.

While Creed and Alter Bridge both have more of a hard rock sound, with Alter Bridge occasionally venturing into alternative metal, I would argue that Tremonti are a metal band with the occasional dive into hard rock territory. Mark Tremonti's penchant for heavy metal is very well known, from the days that he and Scott Stapp first met and formed Creed, through the heavier Alter Bridge material. When All I Was came out under the Tremonti name in 2012, Mark's heavy metal roots became fully realized. I don't know if I could place Dust into any particular sub genre of metal. At times it's thrashy; at times it's plodding and ominous, but most of all, it's thrilling to the ears of any listener with appreciation for what can be done with a guitar. Dust is one great riff after another through 10 songs, with excellent guitar solos and leads scattered throughout the record.

In Creed's earlier days, Mark wasn't often able to display his skills as a soloist, but thankfully Alter Bridge opened more doors for him in that department, though it's not necessarily a given with each song. With Tremonti, he can let loose and have fun. He definitely has his own style. I'd describe his guitar playing as loose and free but still controlled. He's not actively making sure that he never makes mistakes when performing live, but every note sounds organic and planned. Despite all of that, he's very unpredictable as a guitarist, and in the best of ways. Every riff and every solo is fresh and exciting.

As a vocalist, Mark Tremonti is certainly capable, and his skill and technique improve by the album. He's not going to do anything crazy but he's not bland, either. Lyrically, Dust has some excellent moments, some of which are more outright, like standout track "Betray Me." The title track is also a bright moment lyrically, and might be the best song that Mark Tremonti has ever written. At just over 5 minutes, "Dust" moves along slowly but listeners are captured by every second. The track opens with an ominous clean guitar line, and slowly builds into a crushing, emotional chorus. The bridge takes 30-40 seconds to prepare listeners for the best solo I've ever heard out of Mark Tremonti. It's 25 seconds of pure emotion, proving to be the high point of an incredible song.

Dust is just one more great piece of music with Mark Tremonti's name tagged to it, and if you're not familiar with him past a few overplayed Creed songs, it's time to dig into Alter Bridge and Tremonti. You won't be disappointed. 8/10

Standout Tracks:
"My Last Mistake"
"Dust"
"Betray Me"
"Tore My Heart Out"

Up next: Hero by Maren Morris

Kelsey Waldon Has Her Way With Classic Country

The greatest thing about country music in 2016 is that substantially talented artists, with respect for the genre, have the ability to make a living without radio play. Modern radio has pushed away so many listeners over the past five or so years that it's no wonder that artists like Chris Stapleton have had their day in the sun. Listeners who look for more than the most basic pop, hip hop, and arena rock arrangements mixed with banal lyrics about tailgates, beer, and tanned legs have begun to search a little more thoroughly for music with substance, and it's paid off for some of the most talented artists in the country genre. All it takes to convince people that there's much better music out there is exposure, and even someone like me, who listens to a lot of music and is always searching for new artists, misses out on some truly talented individuals until somebody tells me about them. Kelsey Waldon falls into that category.

Waldon's new album I've Got a Way was released on Friday, August 12th. It is 100% classic traditional country from beginning to end. I don't think I've heard so much steel guitar on an album I can recently recall. Where some albums lean on several traditional instruments, I've Got a Way features the steel guitar on every track, which results in the vintage sound trademarked years ago. I prefer more fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro (I gravitate toward bluegrass influenced country, in general), but it was intriguing to hear one instrument used in so many ways in each song.

Lyrically, I've Got a Way is solid throughout, and every song has something specific to express. Standout track "False King" is full of great rhymes and features, perhaps, the single best line on the album when Waldon sings, "You can't place a crown on the head of a clown and then hope he turns out to be a king." I found myself smiling throughout the record because of Her wittiness ease of articulating complex emotions, which kept me interested throughout the album. "I'd Rather Go On" discusses sharp swings in a relationship in which the narrator comes to the conclusion that she'd rather just move on.  In the first verse she expresses a strong sense of vulnerability, but by the end of the chorus her decision is made. "All By Myself" is another standout song on the album. "I can be me all by myself" is another great lyric by Waldon, and is a line that can mean anything to a variety of people. It should be something that fans take to fairly quickly. There is no shortage of talent in Kelsey Waldon when it comes to lyrics and songwriting. As an album, I've Got a Way doesn't have any major shortcomings.

One thing about any good album, regardless of genre, is that problems are very hard to find. My criticisms of I've Got a Way aren't necessarily about the quality of the music. I will say that I'm not that fond of the sound of Kelsey Waldon's voice, but after repeated listens it is growing on me. She's definitely a skilled vocalist--it's more the tone of her voice that grates at me, but that can be cast aside as personal preference. I also prefer more variety in instrumental arrangements. Featuring the steel guitar is interesting but I think there was room to make the arrangements on this album more interesting. I'd love to hear what Kelsey Waldon can come up with if she adds more variety in the future.

Overall, my opinion of the album has as much to do with personal preference as it does with quality of the music. The songs, themselves, are great, and Kelsey Waldon is a fine lyricist. Take my rating with a grain of salt and don't hesitate to take a listen. 7/10.

*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren

Upcoming reviews:
Dust by Tremonti
Bury Me in My Boots by The Cadillac 3
Spark by Drake White
Pure and Simple by Dolly Parton
Hero by Maren Morris

Potential Reviews:
Multiple singles are receiving considering
Dig Your Roots by Florida Georgia Line
Dylan Scott's Self-Titled Debut

Single Review: Metallica Returns With Ferocious "Hardwired"

I'd caught wind of a new Metallica album being released this fall, but it's still a surprise any time a first single is released nearly 8 years after a band's last album. Metallica seems to have gone the route of Tool over their past few albums, taking their sweet damn time between records, but who could blame them? Every single band member is at least 51 years old. Some bands prove to be prolific when it comes to album releases, but some don't want to rush anything for the sake of meeting some arbitrary time limit. Of course, I'm sure the fact that the members of the band don't need the money has something to do with it, but art isn't that black and white, either. Let's just be grateful that Metallica is still making music.

The new album Hardwired...to Self Destruct will come out on November 18th, and the first single "Hardwired" was released on August 18th. I woke up and read about it that morning, and had to take a listen. Frankly, it was refreshing to hear new music from a band I've respected for a long time, even through the St. Anger days. It did help that followup album Death Magnetic was pretty damn good, despite production issues. It's hard to believe that it's already been 8 years since that record was released.

The long wait still takes its toll on fans, though, particularly those of us who hope to hear music that resembles 1980s Metallica as opposed to anything released after ...And Justice For All. "Hardwired" is fairly close to the sound of early Metallica, and it definitely has the speed and anger needed to excite fans about the album's release in November.

The song is very aggressive with a great main riff and a breakneck pace that sets the tone from the first few notes. James Hetfield is channeling his younger days as vocalist. Age does show itself in his delivery, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It adds a level of conviction to his voice brought on by years and experiences. The lyrics aren't anything special, but they aren't terrible, either. The idea of being our own worst enemy isn't groundbreaking, but it's observable in every day life and I enjoy Metallica's take on it.

Overall, "Hardwired" is a solid first single that hopefully gives some sort of indication of what the new album sounds like. 6/10

Cody Jinks' Hard-Hitting I'm Not the Devil

There's always a place in country music for worn and weary storytellers like Cody Jinks. His deep voice etches itself in the mind, feeding on emotions and traumas long buried. Whatever it is that you don't want to feel, Cody Jinks' music will find it, drag it out, scare you half to death in that process, then heal you in ways you didn't know you needed to be healed. A great Cody Jinks song is like a great novel, forging new perspectives and establishing an important role in one's life at the time.

For me, the first of those songs was the incredible "David," a haunting tale of good intentions gone wrong. I stumbled across it while reading a great piece on Saving Country Music (check out that website if you love country music--it's fantastic), and since then Cody Jinks has been a regular listen for me. His last album Adobe Sessions was as authentic as it gets. I was reminded of great singer/songwriters like Jason Eady and Chris Knight. When I first heard the title track to his new album I'm Not the Devil, I was as excited as I've been for an album in quite some time, and with new releases from David Nail, Lori McKenna, Brandy Clark, and Sturgill Simpson in the past 6 months, it's safe to say that it's been an excellent spring and summer for country music.

I'm Not the Devil was released last Friday (12 August) and has since been worn out with repeated listens for me. It's pure hard country music. Not an ounce of filler and not one bad song to be found. Nearly every mainstay instrument in traditional country can be found on this album. I'm particularly fond of the way the steel guitar was used, accenting the emotion in certain lyrics, careening through the twists and turns of each song. Several songs make prominent use of piano, especially standout track "Give All You Can" where every note is incredibly haunting. It'd be hard to find a more diverse instrument than the piano. It can convey the happiest emotion or create a feeling so ominous that it's hard to shake. The way it was utilized on I'm Not the Devil is breathtaking. The arrangements perfectly complemented Jinks' lyrics and vocals.

Lyrically, they don't come much better than Cody Jinks, especially with heavier material. The way they write is very different, but Jinks' lyrics make me draw comparisons to Jason Isbell's darker songs. You'll feel something that seems strong one moment, only to have a line come around later that brings you to your knees. The lyrical highlight of the album for me is the ending of "Give All You Can" where Jinks continually asks "What are you living for?" Not only did it tie in great with the rest of the song, it felt like Jinks was posing a question to listeners. Rarely does a song inspire such a deep level of introspection, and that introspection made "Give All You Can" the most emotional moment on an album full of great songs.

"No Words" might be one of the best love songs I've heard in quite some time, revolving around how hard it can be to adequately state what somebody means to you. The verses describe the awareness of the narrator himself, with lines like "You could be much better off/God knows without me," as well as "I don't believe there's good in every man like I did back then." While "No Words" is definitely a love song, it's also very reflective and honest, and what sets it apart for me is how believable Jinks' delivery is. Rather than list a bunch of specific things he's done wrong, he acknowledges his shortcomings in a general sense. Oftentimes, songs like this seem to have the singer admitting to a bunch of awful things, which doesn't always come off as realistic. The way Cody Jinks decided to tell this story is believable, and certainly tangible for many people. I know I heard many of my own flaws described in this song, as will other listeners. "No Words" is wonderfully powerful.

Another obvious standout on the album is "Grey." What a damn fine song with excellent lyrics and a great arrangement. "Rediscover all the color in the grey" Jinks sings at the end of each chorus, which speaks to the ease one can find when they take the time and look back on how life has unfolded. Other highlights include the title track, "Chase That Song," and the great cover of Billy Don Burns' "Church at Gaylor Creek."

By the time the album ends, listeners will feel like they've run through every emotion they could possibly feel, but they'll be better people for it. As I've said, there's an odd healing that comes with heavy material in the hands of such a gifted songwriter. Cody Jinks sings about real people and real situations--it's easy to hear one of his songs and think about something in your own life. He's a fast rising Texas artist with a lot to say, and he has an uncanny ability to maximize whatever it is he's trying to convey. If you hadn't heard of him before this review, you'll want to dig through his discography. He's a special talent.

I'm Not the Devil is a truly wonderful album, and will have a case to make for the best album of 2016. 9/10.

Standout Tracks:
"I'm Not the Devil"
"No Words"
"Give All You Can"
"Chase That Song"
"Grey"
"Vampires"

Concerts in the Garden: Sam Outlaw

Every summer, the North Dakota Museum of Art presents their Concerts in the Garden series. The last concert for the season in 2016 featured Sam Outlaw, a country artist from Los Angeles. I didn't even know about this concert until yesterday morning. Sporadic heavy rainfall on Monday night turned grain harvest into a no-go on Tuesday, so I was looking for something to do last night to relax. For some reason, I decided to see if there was one more concert in the garden before UND's fall semester begins. After seeing Sam Outlaw's name on the schedule, my Tuesday night was settled.

The very talented Molly Parden opened the evening of music. Unable to leave work early enough for a 6pm start time after an hour's drive, I missed most of her performance. Luckily, she was a part of the band backing Sam Outlaw on stage during his set. Outlaw, Parden, and two other bandmates took the stage and played "Cry For Me" to kick things off. It's a great song that has been released for over two years, and was on the track list of his self-titled digital EP, but didn't appear on his only studio album to date, Angeleno. After that, Outlaw weaved his way through cuts from both releases, throwing in a couple of covers as well as one or two new songs that were very good.

The most impressive thing about Sam Outlaw as a performer was how easily he interacted with the crowd. He was hilarious between songs, telling stories about each song as well as the time he spent in South Dakota during his youth before his family moved to California. There was something about him, an odd mix of confidence and humility. It's like he knows that he's talented but won't let that confidence turn into arrogance. Not only was it easy to enjoy the music, it was easy to like Sam Outlaw the person. It was refreshing to see a performer who is so obviously down to earth and genuinely happy to have a platform to share his art. He also regularly gave credit to each of his band mates, more than most artists do. It was obvious that they all get along in general. Not only were fans enjoying themselves, so were the four people on stage.

Outlaw's brand of country music was well-received by concert-goers. It seemed that everybody was enjoying themselves and I found myself getting lost in each song, absentmindedly singing along (hopefully not so loud that those around me could hear). I've owned Angeleno for quite some time now, and have been listening to it regularly. Not until last night did I realize how much each song stuck with me--I knew damn near every word.

Highlights from the set include "Ghost Town," arguably the best song on Angeleno, as well as the tender ballad "Country Love Song." Outlaw played a new song called "She's Playing Hard to Get Rid of" that provided a bit of a laugh as well as an emotional punch as he detailed such a relatable relationship story in the lyrics. He also played a great cover of Clay Walker's "If I Could Make a Living."

At the end of Outlaw's set, I had that feeling of lightness that comes with any great concert, like nothing could ruin the night. It's the main reason that I love live music. After being fortunate enough to see Sturgill Simpson and Sam Outlaw live in less than a week's time, I can't say that I've ever had more fun with music.

If Sam Outlaw passes through your town, get tickets and go to the show. It's more than worth it.

I "Kinda Don't Care" for Justin Moore's New Album

There are times when Justin Moore is genuinely likable as an artist. He is certainly capable of releasing solid country music, but most of the time he's trying so damned hard that I have trouble getting past it. Most annoying for me is his hammed up twang--it's so gimmicky and obnoxious that it's an immediate distraction.

Nevertheless, with great songs like "Grandpa," "Small Town USA," and "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" in his catalog, I always pay attention to what he's releasing. On Friday, August 12th, Moore's album Kinda Don't Care dropped, and along with it came news that he's tried out some contemporary country elements. Not that he wasn't somewhat contemporary before, from the distorted guitar to certain lyrical tropes, but now he's thrown drum loops, gratuitous vocal effects, and synthy nonsense into his songs. The only instance where it kinda works is "Somebody Else Will," which is one of the few standout tracks on the album.

Even if Kinda Don't Care wasn't littered with artificial sounds, I'm not positive that I'd like it all that much, anyway. Justin Moore does not come off as authentic to me, which is key when it comes to playing and promoting country music that leans in a more traditional direction. By this point, it might be better for him to drop the shtick and just release a contemporary album.

There are an astounding number of bad songs on this record. I just can't wrap my head around how some of these tunes seemed like good ideas. "Put Me in a Box" is a title that had my hopes up, but it's incredibly awkward as Moore continually sings "Put me in a box, girl, put me in a box." It's a refrain that was old the first time it was sung but it's completely overdone in this song and Moore's vocal performance does nothing to make it better. Eventually, a tune called "Got it Good" starts playing and I begged it to stop after the very first note. Easily the most commercial track that Moore has ever recorded, "Got it Good" is egregiously pandering, to the point that it's almost funny. This song is, quite frankly, a disaster, and to hear Justin Moore sink so low is not unexpected but still kind of sad. Hold on a second, though--it gets worse. Moore includes a duet with Brantley Gilbert on Kinda Don't Care called "More Middle Fingers" and it's as bad as it sounds. In a way it's hilarious, because you've got two over-exaggerated vocal styles trading lines in one song, Moore with his twang and Gilbert with his silly growl-vocals. Unintended comedy at its finest.

At the very least there are a handful of really good songs like the lead single, "You Look Like I Need a Drink." The aforementioned "Somebody Else Will" is the only contemporary-leaning song that works on the album, thanks to a great chorus. "Rebel Kids" is also a tolerable song that I found myself nodding my head to. I trust Justin Moore to release some great music, but I really want to see him just make music as opposed to selling a country boy image. His best music will come when he's an artist first and foremost. Sadly, that hasn't happened yet.

Kinda Don't Care is without a doubt Justin Moore's least enjoyable album to date. I don't know if all of these artificial additions are the result of label pressure or if he simply wants to be an A-list country star, but they cheapen his already limited sound and result in a truly disappointing album. 3/10

Standout Tracks:
"You Look Like I Need a Drink"
"Somebody Else Will"
"Rebel Kids"

Need a Good Laugh?
"Put Me in a Box"
"Got it Good"
"More Middle Fingers"

Sturgill Simpson Wows at Fargo Theater

The anticipation was evident as fans waited for Sturgill Simpson and his band to take the stage at a sold out Fargo Theater on August 10th. Fans, talking amongst themselves and sipping on their choice of drink, eagerly and patiently waited for a night of wonderful music to begin.

As soon as the band hit the stage and launched into "Sitting Here Without You," it was apparent that fans were going to be treated to something special. Simpson and his 7 piece band (including horns) easily worked their way through songs from his 3 studio albums while sprinkling in brilliant covers here and there. Most astounding was the way the horns worked their way into the material from his first two albums, High Top Mountain and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music.

Simpson was excellent at engaging the crowd throughout the night, making people laugh by commenting about how "moist" it was in the humid theater and responding to a handful of "I love you, Sturgill!" comments with hilarious replies that surely made the day of whichever fan communicated with him each time. His Kentucky drawl filled the theater, keeping everybody's attention with ease. He introduced his entire band at one point, including renowned guitarist Laur Joamets who came across as effortlessly talented, never seeming to lose his composure while bending his fingers through one great lick after another. Joamets credits Simpson for helping him develop as a guitarist, which isn't  surprising considering how skilled Sturgill is on the guitar. Throughout the night, Simpson had complete control of the instrument, displaying his talent with ease.

The band often veered into extended jam sessions in the middle of or at the ends of songs, allowing the horn section and Joamets to thrill the crowd with unexpected moments not heard on the studio releases. Most songs were played slightly different from how they were recorded, putting a distinct focus on the performance aspect, and allowing fans to enjoy the music in ways that they hadn't been able to before the concert. Simpson and his band are world class musicians playing arguably some of the best music floating around country and rock landscapes today, though it'd be foolish to say that those two genres give fans a good idea of Simpson's sound. There really isn't any way to comfortably place him in any one genre, which is undoubtedly part of what makes him great in the first place. Whenever critics and fans try to place him, Simpson comes back with his next release and transcends genre lines. To say his 3 studio albums sound drastically different from one another would be an understatement to the obvious.

Highlights from the night vary between the softer material, including a killer cover of When in Rome's "The Promise" from his second album, and the louder, more aggressive material such as "Brace for Impact (Live a Little)" from his most recent release. "The Promise" included an excellent solo from Simpson's sax player, while "Brace for Impact" was pure energy, even during the slower first section of the song. Another clear highlight for me was his cover of  "I Never Go Around Mirrors," and as a classic country fan I can only hope that most of the audience knew what they were listening to as he easily conveyed the emotion of the song. Simpson ended his set by playing A Sailor's Guide to Earth from front to back. The closing song "Call to Arms" was extended by several minutes with a furious jam session, ending the concert as fittingly as anyone could have dreamed.

As a fan, the quality of music was so very moving and the level of happiness I felt throughout the nearly 2 hour set was incredible. There wasn't a single song played that I don't have some level of appreciation for, which is a rarity for me as a passionate music enthusiast. Almost every artist has recorded songs that irritate me, but nothing in Simpson's catalog bothers me, nor do any of the covers he chooses to perform on a regular basis. I'm not positive that it was my favorite concert experience just yet, but it's damn close and may just take the top spot after I've had more time to think about it.

As the band walked off the stage to a standing ovation, Simpson stuck around for a few more seconds to throw guitar picks to fans, then simply said, "Thank you, Fargo" before he stepped behind the curtain.

*Written by Kellen Dobmeier, edited by April Dahlgren

Upcoming reviews: 

Cody Jinks--I'm Not the Devil

Justin Moore--Kinda Don't Care

Tremonti--Dust